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Florida man’s citrus scheme lands him in jail

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services arrested a Polk County man for illegally obtaining more than four million pounds of citrus worth more than $540,000 from five victims.

According to the department’s investigation, Bradley D. Reiter of Winter Haven, Fla., and owner and operator of Reiter Citrus, Inc.:

• Entered into contract with Gabriel Family Partners to purchase citrus and removed 13,108 boxes of oranges between March 20 and April 16, 2014. Reiter Citrus, Inc. never paid the business for the fruit or its rise value.

• Entered into contract with Gabriel Groves, Inc., to purchase citrus and removed 1,599 boxes of grapefruit and 20,468 boxes of oranges between March 26 and April 28, 2014. Reiter Citrus, Inc. never paid the business for the fruit or its rise value.

• Entered into contract with Sandlake Groves, LLC to purchase citrus and removed 10,907 boxes of oranges between April 29 and May 14, 2014. Reiter Citrus, Inc. never paid the business for the fruit or its rise value.

• Entered a grove owned by a Bartow, Florida without permission and removed of 180 boxes of citrus. Reiter Citrus, Inc. then provided the resident with a check that only represented half of the actual value of the fruit.

• Entered into a written agreement with a Bartow, Florida resident to purchase citrus and removed 570 boxes of citrus fruit. Reiter Citrus, Inc. never paid the resident for the fruit.

Reiter was booked into the Polk County Jail on multiple charges, including: scheme to defraud, grand theft and dealing citrus without a license.